Christopher Lee is now expected to reprise the role of Saruman for the prequel movie The Hobbit.

Writer and director Peter Jackson has recovered from his recent ulcer surgery and shooting on the two-film adaptation of The Hobbit will begin on March 21 at Stone Street Studios in Miramar and on location around New Zealand.

Lee, 88, who will be honoured with a Bafta Academy Fekllowship at the weekend, had originally said he would have liked to have shown Saruman's corruption by Sauron, but would not be comfortable flying to New Zealand at his age.

There has since been a statement on his website saying: “Sir Christopher Lee had been in talks to reprise his role as the wizard Saruman and it now looks certain, providing that he is in good health, that he will be appearing in the movie.”

Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis - as Gandalf the Grey and Gollum - will also star in the new prequels to the The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Jackson, whose Lord Of The Rings trilogy was also filmed in his homeland of New Zealand, underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer and was discharged on Thursday.

Warner Bros and New Line had previously considered taking the production away from New Zealand after acting unions threatened to boycott the films in protest over payments to actors.

The studios agreed to film the movies in New Zealand after the government granted them tax breaks worth millions of dollars and changed employment laws.

The films, which will star Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, were earlier stalled by problems including rows over distribution rights and the exit of original director Guillermo del Toro.

After his international breakthrough in Hammer Films’ The Curse of Frankenstein and Dracula, Lee went on to star in a host of films such as The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The Wicker Man, The Man with the Golden Gun and Jinnah.

In recent years he has made regular appearances for director Tim Burton, as well as villainous turns in blockbuster series such as Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings.

Lee will appear later this year in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo Cabret alongside Jude Law, Chloe Moretz and Sacha Baron Cohen.

This is Scorsese’s first film shot in 3D and it is due to be released on December 9, 2011. Lee will play Monsieur Labisse, a kind, elderly owner of a bookshop.